Bicycle-support.



80,528,548, Patontod luly ll, |899..

. B. PHELAN.

BICYCLE SUPPORT.

- (Application filed my 17 1897.) No Model.)

WITNESSES INVENTOR $5M fi ii M THE "cams wz-rsns co, unmoumcdWASHINGTON. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRYAN PHELAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BICYCLE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,548, dated July 11,1899. Application filed May 17,1897. Serial No. 636,946. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRYAN PHELAN, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing in London, in the county of Middlesex, England, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improved Bicycle-Support, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention consists in an improved bicycle-support which may bebrought into action by the rider from time to time without dismounting,so that the bicycle may be supported when at rest-that is to say,whenthe requirements of traffic necessitate that the rider should stop orwhen for any other reason the rider desires to stop for a time withoutdismounting-and which will also afford steadiness to the bicycle for thepurpose of mounting or dismounting and serve as a support or stand whenthe bicycle is not in use. Hitherto all attempts in this direction havefailed owing either to the support being placed on some part of thebicycle-frame where it cannot efficiently support the frame or owing toinsufficient means for withstanding the strains which are set up whenthe device is brought into use, such strains being often exerted in sucha way as tooverthrow the rider.

The improvements consist in the construction by which this supportreceives its strength, and more particularly by which it is enabled towithstand and relieve the bicycleframe of the strains invariably set upwhen the support is brought into use during riding,

which strains are, first, a lateral twisting strain, due to the onewheel of the support almost invariably touching the ground before theother; secondly, an upward or downward bending strain,due to the swayingof the body of the rider and the bicycle at and following the moment ofstopping.

The invention more especially also obtains its efficiency from theposition it occupies on the bicycle-frame, where its operation iseffective to support the bicycle.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 shows in side elevation abicycle-frame fitted with the improved support. Fig. 2'is a diagrammaticview or section showing the support from the front or rear and certainof thecycleframe tubes in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly insection, of the handle-bar of the bicycle adapted for operating thissupport.

The invention is based upon that form of support in which a frame hingednear or be hind the pedal-crank-shaft bracket carries two wheels adaptedto come in contact with the ground at a distance one on each side oftheplane of the bicycle. Heretofore such frames have been proposed, buthave been simply pivoted or hinged and have been utterly unable to meetthe strain set up in bringing them into action; The present frame A isso made that it has (considering the frame in the position shown in fulllines in Fig. l namely, in action) lateral extension to each side of itsaxle B to bear against the frame of the bicycle-for instance, againstthe lower back tubes at aat points in front of and behind the verticaltransverse plane containing the axis of the frame A, thus having bearingto withstand the before-mentioned lateral twisting strain. Such frame Ais also made with extensions above the axle B to also have bearingagainst the diagonal tube of the bicy- D is the diagonal or seat-pillartube; D

the lower front tube.

E is a tube or guide extending from tube D to tube D preferably in anarc of a circle of which the axle B is the center.

The lower back tubes a dare brought together for the necessary distancerearward of the pedal-crankshaft bracket D (see Fig. 2) and before theyspread apart for the wheel D and below tubes a (L is brazed a cross-tubeb, serving as bearing for the axle B of frame A.

Frame A comprises a horizontal bar or tube A, the ends of which formaxles for wheels C O, and two side parts each consisting of tubes A Ameeting below on bar A and above at a point A ona level with tube Eandspaced apart at the middle by a cross-piece A carrying in the middle theaxle B. The tubes AA have bearing against the tubes ct a and the point Awhen the frame is in action against tube D. The frame A must be so madeas not to obstruct the pedal-crank, sprocket-wheel, or gear-chain. (Notshown in the drawings.) The stay or guide E is intended to guide theframe A when out of action.

F is a spring connected at F to the frame A and at F to the tube D, andtends to draw the frame A out of action, as in dotted lines, Fig. 1.

Gis a cord attached to the upper end of frameAand brought within reachof the rider in any suitable way. In the construction illustrated in thedrawings the cord G is passed around pulleys 'H H H and connected to adrum J, Fig. 3.

K is the handle-bar, consisting of two hollow arms J J, connected byparts J to each other and to the vertical tube J of the handle-bar. Thedrum J lies between the inner ends ofarms J J and may be revolved by theuniversal jointed rods J extending through one or both arms J andconnected to one or both rotary handles J so that by revolving thehandle or handles the frame A is drawn into the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 1.

The wheels C should have tires as solid and non-resilient as possible,to avoid oscillation; but to avoid the unpleasant noise made by metaltires in contact with the ground the tires may be of firm and solidleather.

I do not claim, broadly, a pivoted frame to carry supporting-wheels; but

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with the frame of a safety-bicycleprovided with a crank-axle bearing, a seat-pillar tube D, and two lowerback tubes at a, all the said tubes being connected to the said bearingand the said tubes a at having their front end portions arrangedparallel to each other; of a frame A pivoted to the said bicycle-frameunder the tubes do, and behind the said bearing, the upper por; tion ofthe frame A being formed of. pairs of bars connected at their upper endsand which straddle and bear against the tubes D and a a, andground-wheels carried by the lower portion of the said frame A,substantially as described and shown.

2. The combination, with the frame of a safety-bicycle proyided with aseat-pillar tube D, two lower back tubesa a having their front endportions arranged parallel to each other, and a cross-tube 19 securedunder the front end portions of the tubes at a; of a frame A having itsupper portion formed of pairs of bars connected at their upper ends andwhich straddle and bear against the tubes D and a a, ground-wheelscarried by the lower portion of the frame A, and an axle B engaging withthe tube Z) and pivotally supporting the frame A, substantially asdescribed and shown. V

3. The combination, with a safety-bicycle; of a frame A having itsmiddle portions pivotally supported by the bicycle-frame, the upperportions of the said frame Abeing triangular and arranged to straddlethe bicycleframe and bear against it at three points on each side, oneof each three points being at the top part of the frameA and the othertwo points being at its middle part and to the front and rear of itspivot respectively; and ground-wheels 0 carried by the lower portions ofthe frame A, substantially as described and shown.

4:. The combination, with the frame of a safety-bicycle provided withtwo lower back tubes the front end portions of which are arrangedparallel with each other; of a skeleton frame A pivoted to the parallelportions of the said tubes and bearing against them on each side infront of and behind the pivot, said frame A comprising bars A connectedat their opposite ends and arranged in pairs on each side of thebicycle-frame and above and below the said pivot, and bars A connectingthe adjacent portions of the bars A an axle A extending transverselyunder the bicycle-frame and carried by the lower part of the frame A,and ground-wheels carried by the end portions of the said axle,substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have signed this specifiation in presence of twowitnesses.

n. PHELAN.

' \Vitnesses:

. A. J. HADDAN, OHAs. ROCHE.

